6 Months Together --Mommy's Post

Wow!!  Where has the time gone?  It seems like yesterday we were just getting ready to go to Ch*na to meet our little girl.  Here she is home with her forever family--already for 6 months.  There are so many emotions and feelings that I have since bringing her home.  I have seen Piper evolve so much in these past 6 months.  I think of her like an onion peeling off layer after layer.  Her and I have had a bond I feel from the beginning.  I loved her so much and just could not wait to hold her in my arms.  She embraced me from the day we met.  Our bond has just continued to grow and grow.  She will just come up to me on her own and give me a hug.  She has also started to take her binky out at nighttime to kiss me goodnight before I rock her to sleep.  Before, I would have kissed her on the binky.  I always tell her I love her.  She tells me "I love you."  These are just moments so precious that just make me melt.  Literally melt.  She wakes in the morning now calling Mama instead of crying.  She only wanted Mama to feed her her bottle.  Baba has tried but she pushes it away and really cries.  She loves playing with her sisters.  Audyn and her have also been developing a bond.  It is so neat to watch.  They take turns with some toys.  Of course there are those many moments where Audyn is taking something from her or the other way around.  But the moments that you do see them starting to bond more are just priceless.  I know in time it will only grow.  She has started to speak more words.  Her little voice is precious.  She can say:  Mama, Baba, Audyn, Ava, Bella, Angel, Bert, Elmo, NO, help, all done, please, hi, hello, bye, out, night night, banana, bar, uh oh.  She has started speech and our therapist is helping her learn concepts like push, off, in, out, etc.  She shows her picture cards and she points to the picture name when she says it.  She also has a toy with 4 balls that go on top and you use a hammer to push the balls through and they go through a maze.  Two balls have patterns and two are solid.  Piper puts them on top and then rearranges them so that the ring on the toy matches the color of the ball.  The therapist was really amazed.  I couldn't believe that she recognized it either.  She is really a smart girl.  She catches on pretty quickly and pays attention to everything.  She really likes to do everything her big sisters do.  Her sisters just adore her!! 

She is such a blessing!!  I cannot imagine my life without her.  She fits in perfectly with our family.  Seeing her smile gives me so much joy and honestly just makes my heart melt.  I look at her sometimes in disbelief that she is really ours and then there are times when I look at her and forget she was adopted.  It feels like has always been here.  Sometimes I forget she is Ch*nese.  Really I do.  Piper is just so full of life and such a happy girl!!!  I cannot wait to see what God has in store for her.  I thank God that he chose us all of the time to be her mommy and her daddy.  People have said that Piper is so lucky.  I honestly feel like we are the lucky ones.  I know that I have forever been changed for the better and it is because of her.  I love you so much Piper! 

6 Months Together --Daddy's Post

It’s been 6 months since Piper has joined our family.  The first 6 months were very hard for her and I relationship wise.  I guess I didn’t realize it would take so long for her to warm up to me.  The struggle was back and forth.  She would want to try and trust me and then she would back off and distance herself.  This is the part of the adoption process I wasn’t expecting.  I realized it would take some time for her to adjust and get comfortable with our family but I didn’t expect her to reject me for 6 months.  Jenn kept reminding me to be patient.  She would often remind me how we reject our heavenly father yet he loves us unconditionally.  I had to remind myself of this and slowly win Piper’s trust.  After all, 6 months ago she was stripped away from the life as she knew it and was thrown into a new family who spoke a different language, looked different and acted differently.  This little girl has amazing strength and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for her life as she develops her faith.  Over the last week I have seen a change in  Piper.  She runs up to me when I come home from work and gives me a hug.  She will let me hold her without struggling.  It is a blessing to see her finally starting to show a little trust in me.  Adoption can be a challenge for a family but the rewards are GREATER than words can describe.  My children have a new perspective of life that cannot be granted without living through this journey.  Ava wants us to adopt a brother and Isabella wants to open an orphanage someday.  I encourage them to dream big and trust in God’s plans for their life!!!  When we submit to God’s plans in our lives and have faith he will do amazing things!!!

Making Pancakes with Daddy--Saturday Tradition

One Year Ago......and Now

A Year ago yesterday was a day we will never forget. It was the day we saw our little Piper's face for the first time. When I saw her eyes I knew she belonged to us. We were getting ready to leave for our sister in law's wedding and we got the phone call.My oldest daughter was already with my inlaws so I was really excited to tell her and show her the picture for the first time.  It was definately at a time we were not expecting to hear. ...The best surprise ever. People say that she is blessed and lucky. I think that WE are the ones who are blessed and lucky. She has changed us forever!!! She fits right in with our family. Seeing her blossom is amazing. Audyn and Piper are becomming little buddies lately. It is a beautiful thing to watch :) It is hard to believe that in a week it will have been 6 months since we have held her in our arms---forever in our hearts.